Means for degreasing and cleaning metal articles



Allg 17, .1937- G. EDHOFER ET AL `2,090,192

MEANS FOR DEGREASING AND CLEANING METAL ARTICLES @ewig Zojf I @www m www,

Aug- 17, 1937 G. EDHoFER E1- AL I 2,090,192

MEANS FOR DEGREASING AND CLEANING METAL ARTICLES Filed July 29, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug- 17, 1937- G. EDHoFER Er A1.

MEANS FOR DEGREASING AND CLEANING METAL' ARTICLES Filed .my 29, 19:53

Aug. 17, 1937.

G. EDHOFER Er Al.

MEANS FOR DEGREASING AND CLEANING METAL ARTICLES Filed July 29, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4I Patented Aug. 17, 1937 'MEANS Fon DEGREASING AND CLEANING METAL ARTICLES e Georg Edhofer and Georgr assignors to Dr.

wom. Munich, Ge. Alexander Wacker Gesellschaft fur Elektrochemische Industrie G. m. b. H., Munich, Germany Application July 29.1933, serial No. 682,823

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the cleaning of metal articles, and has to do'with means for immersing articles in a solvent for removing grease and dirt from such articles.

It is known to remove grease anddirt from metal articles by immersing them in a suitable solvent, in liquid or vapor form, the solvent beingl disposed within an open top tank through the top of which the articleso are inserted and removed. The solvents used are such that the vapors thereof are of a higher specific gravity than air, such as trichlorethylene, perchlorethylene, or carbonv tetrachloride. In practice, a suitable cooling device is providedin the upper portion of the tank for condensing the vapors generated from the liquid solvent, which is in the lower portion ofthe tank'and is heated by suitable means. 'I'he cooling device condenses the solvent vapors so as to prevent escape thereof to the atmosphere. After the articles have been immersed in'the solvent liquid or vapor, as the case may be, they are raisedl into the upper portion of the tank, above the vapor zone, wherethey are permitted portion of the ytank is illledlwith cool air which takes up a small amount of the solvent vapors by diffusion. Under unfavorable conditions, particularlyY if there is a draft or the air in the phere, creating a disagreeable and objectionable odor. Y

-When'using `apparatus of the character above referred to, the articles may be placed in suitable baskets or containers which are moved up and down in the tank with a Viewv to facilitating cleaning of the articles. While this facilitates cleaning of the articles, it is open to the objec- 4 tion that it causes a certain amount of agitation of air in the tank, thus increasing the liability of escape to the atmosphere of air and solvent vapors from the tank. Also, this vertical up andA down movement or reciprocation of the articles is not sufcient to assure thorough cleaning or hollow articles, and thorough removal therefrom of the solvent liquid when the;articles are dis- V posed `in the upper portion of the tank for drying. One of the main objects of ourinvention is to 50 provide an apparatus suitable for cleaning articles in the manner above referred to, this apparatus embodying a tank which is effectively closed to the atmosphere during the cleaning operation so as to prevent escape from the tank 55 of the vapors of the solvent liquid. A further object is to provide an apparatus -of this character in which the articles being cleaned may be ro tated and thoroughly agitated within the tank, when the latter is closed, for eecting a thorough cleaning operation of the articles and facilto dry and are then removed from the tank. Duel to the presence ofthe cooling" device, the major tankis agitated', the cold air and the vapors difi fused therein'are apt to escape to the atmositating drying thereof. Another object of our invention is to provide means whereby the portion of the tank containing 'the liquid vsolvent vand the vapors thereof is closed to theatmosphere during removal of the cleaned'articles and the placing in thetank'of a second batch of articles to be cleaned. A further object of our inventionis. to provide means for regenerating' the used solvent and for heating, by means `of the hotA vapor of the regenerated solvent, liquid solvent within the tank. Furtherjobiects -and advantages of our` invention will appear 'from 4the detail description. In the drawingsz- Y Figure 1y is a longitudinal verticall sectional view through a cleaning apparatus embodying our invention; g

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the apparatus of Figure 1; taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinalvertical sectional view through a modied forni of apparatus embodying our invention, taken on line 3-j3 of Figure 4; i

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the form of apparatus shown in Figure 3.A

The apparatus comprises a sheet metal casing I o'f box-likeformation, the upper end of which may beclosed by cover members 2 slidable upon i angle strips 3 suitably secured in hoods 4 provided at the front and the back of the upper portion of the casing. These hoods communicate with the casingthrough openings 5 in the upper portions of the. front and the back walls of the casing, and conduits 6 lead from the hoods. These conduits may bedconnected to suitable suction means for drawing air into the upper portion of the casingand through the openings 5; so as continuously to take oif any vapors which may be in the upper portion of the casing, when the cover members 2 arein open position. Each of the cover members is provided with a depending flange 2a, which is disposed over the openings A5, when the cover member is closed, thus closing the interior of the casing to the manifolds 4.

A tank 1 is provided within casing I, at the lower portion thereof, ,for holding a suitable quantity of a liquid solvent 8, such as trich1or ethylene. This solvent is heated in a suitable manner, as by means of a gas burner 9 disposed beneath the tank. A cooling coil lli extends about the interior of the tank, at the upper portion thereof, and a cooling liquid, such as cold water or brine, is circulated through'this cooling coil in a known manner. The coil i0 acts to condense the vapors of the liquid 8 and to prevent escape thereof to the atmosphere through the open top of the tank, when the cover menibers 2 are in open position, the condensate dripping back into the tank 8. No material amount coil I0 being substantially"free of solvent vapor except for such vapor as may become mixed by diffusion with the cold air in the upper portion of the casing I.

A shaft II is rockably mounted through back wall Ia of casing I, there being a stufllng box I2 about this shaft to prevent escape thereabout of solvent vapor from within the casing. Shaft II is bored out from its inner end and snugly receives a. shaft I3 rotatably mounted through front wall Ib of .casing I, there being a stuffing box I4 about shaft I3. A hand wheel I5 is secured on the outer end of shaft I3 for rotating the same and is normally held against rotation by a gravity pawl I6 which engages into a notch I1 in the hand Wheel, this pawl being pivoted in a suitable bracket I8 secured to wall Ib of the casing.

A sprocket wheel I9 is secured on shaft I3, within the casingand adjacent wall Ib thereof, and is'connected by a chain 2.0 to a sprocket wheel 2| secured on a stud 22 projecting from one end of a rectangular frame 23. A stud 24 projects from the other end of frame 23, and these two studs are rockably mounted in the upperends of arms25 provided at their lower ends with collars 26 suitably secured upon shaft I I for turning movement therewith. A worm segment 21 is secured on the outer end of shaft II and meshes with a worm 28 secured on a shaft 29 rotatably mounted in brackets 30 secured to wall I a of the casing. A crank 3| is secured upon one end of shaft 29 for rotating the same and thus imparting turning movement yto shaft II.

The frame 23 receives a perforated container or basket 32 provided with a closure member or cover 33 hinged to the body of the basket at 33a. Frame 23 and basket 32 together constitute article receiving and supporting means operatively associated with arms 25, as will more fully appear presently. This cover may be secured in any suitable manner, as by means of swing bolts 34 pivoted in slotted brackets 35 secured lto the body of the basket, these boltsengaging' into slotted lugs -36 projecting from the cover 33, and receiving wing nuts 31 which contact the lugs 36 for securing the cover closed. 'Any other suitable or preferred means for closing the basket may be provided. Conveniently, the basketv 32 is provided at the center of each end thereof with an outwardly projecting stud 33 to facilitate placing of the basket in the frame 23 and removal of the baskettherefrom. Any suitable means may be provided for releasably securing the basket in the frame. For thispurposeI have shown-the frame as provided, at each side thereof, with a longitudinally extending and inwardly projecting rib 39 upon whichl seats a similar rib 40 projecting from the sidewall of the basket. Slotted lugs 4I project from, the side walls. ofthe basket beyond the side members of the frame and receive swing bolts 42 pivoted between lugs 44 projecting from the outer faces of side members of frame 23. These bolts receive wing nuts 45 which bear upon the slotted lugs 4| and secure the basket'to the frame ina known manner.

-in proper direction for lowering the frame and the basketinto the dotted line position of Figure lcleaning of the articles by the solvent vapor, it

being noted that during this time the relatively hot vapor comes in contact with and condenses upon the articles to be cleaned, which articles are relatively cold, the condensate flowingback into the tank 8. rfh'e vapor thus acts to dissolve all grease and like foreign materials upon the articles and also acts to flush oil or wash the articles, by flowing thereover, so as to remove effectively all foreign materials therefrom.

, Though the basket may remain stationary in the vapor zone during the cleaning of the articles, as noted, we preferably rotate the basket when in this position so as -to eilect more thorough and rapid cleaning of the articles. For rotating the basket, gravity pawl I5 is raised into inoperative position, and shaft I 3 is rotated by means of hand wheel I5, thus imparting rotationto the basket by means of the sprocket wheels I9 and 2| and the chain 20. This rotation of the basket is advantageous, particularly when cleaning hollow articles in which the vapor condensate would tend to collect, and it also imparts a tumbling action` to the articles which` thoroughly agitates the same and assures proper exposure of all surfaces thereof 'to the solvent vapor.

After the articles have been treated for a proper time in the. vapor zone, shaft II is turned cleaned articles is removed from the frame 23,

a second basket containing articles to be cleaned being then mounted in the frame, after which the cover members 2 are closed and the articles are cleaned and dried in the manner previously described. During the operation of removing the basket from the frame and placing a second basket therein, any air containing diffused vapors, which may enterthe upper portion o f the casing, is withdrawn .therefrom through the openings 5, thus preventing escape to the atmosphere of solvent vapors from the casing, in the manner previously described.

In the form of apparatus illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. casing Ic is provided, at the lower portion thereof, with two solvent liquid receiving tanks 1a and 1b, separated by a plate 1c.. Each of the tanks is provided, at the bottom thereof. with a trough 1d in 'which is removably supported a sediment receiving tray 1e conveniently pro-` vided with lateral flanges which seat upon angle strips secured to the side walls of the trough, as shown. A ing coil 49 is mounted in the upper portion ofthe casing above a trough 41 provided with a discharge tube 43 which delivers to tank 42 condensate which drips from the coil into the trough.

Plates 49 extend upward and inward from the front and'back walls of the casing and are spaced at their upper edges from top plates 50 extending inward from said walls of the casing, the plates 49 and 50 and the adjacent portions of the casing walls defining hoods open at their inner sides at I and communicating, by means of conduits 52. with the intake side of a blower 53 of known type. This blower and the motor 54 therefore are conveniently mounted on a bracket 55 suitably -secured to the casing. Outlet fitting 56 of the blower may' be connected, by a suitable conduit, to a space for discharging the air and vapor which may be withdrawn from the hood, the point of discharge being located exterior of the space in which the apparatus Ais disposed.

The space between the hoods is closed by two cover members 58, each constituting a segment -crossed relation when the cover members are closed, as shown in Figure 3. Each cover member 58 is provided, at the lower edge thereof, with `a bead 62 which contacts a'bead 63 at the upper yend of the associated plate 49 and forms therewith Aa substantially airtight closure, when the cover member is in closed position. v

A frame'23a, similar to frame 23 of Figure 1 and Figure A2, is supported by arms 25 in the manner previously described. Two U-shaped straps or stirrups 64 are suitably secured to and depend from frame 23. These stirrups receive the lower portion of a perforated basket 65 disposed within the frame and provided with a removable cover 66. Upwardly -and Ainwardly in-- clined arms 61 are suitably secured to the frame 23a at the ends thereof. These arms are of hooked shape at their upper ends and receive a slotted plate 69 which extends the vlengthv of frame 23a. A pressure screw 69 threads through plate 68 and has a loose nutconnection,

n a known manner, to a pressure bar 19 which extends lengthwise of basket 65 and' is provided with depending lugs 1l which bear upon the top of cover 66 of the basket. This provides means for effectively securing the basket within the frame with expedition and facility.

der and curved on the same radius as the cover members 58, is suitably supported by arms 25 and segments 13, at each end of this plate, extend upwardly therefrom between the cooling coil 46 and the adjacent supporting arm 25. When'- frame23 is in -its uppermost position, shown in' full lines, it is disposed within a cylinder generated by. movement of either of the cover members 58 on its pivot. When the cover members are moved into full open. position, the beads 62 at thelower edges thereof contact beads 14 at the edges of plate 12 so as to form substantially airtignt closures therewith, and the upper portions of the cover members t snugly against'beads 6'3 of plates 49, as indicated bydotted lines in Figure 3. The basket' 65 isthus enclosed in a housing closed to the interiorof casing I, when the basket is in its uppermost position and the cover members are in open position. This is adventageous as reducing possibility of escape to the atmosphereof vapors from the interior ofthe casing. Any cool air containing diffused vapors, which may tend to escape through the top of the casing, is drawn into the hoods through openings 5I thereof, this air and the vapors contained thereby being delivered to a point remote from the space in which the apparatus is disposed, by means of the suction blower 53. of necessity, provided with suitable openings to accommodate the arms 25 and the sprocket chain 20. Any vapors which enter the space aboutA the basket, -through these openings, and diffuse into lthe air in this space, will be removed in the man- 15, normally serves to hold the frame 23a in its'- uppermost position. By means of this crank handle 15,V the shaft H may be turned so as to lower the basket into eithertank 1a or tank 1b, as desired. A sprocket wheel 11 is secured on the outer end of shaft I3 and is connected by a sprocket chain 18 to a sprocket wheel 19 secured on one end of a shaft 88 rotatably mounted exterior of the casing\ and transversely thereof, in suitable bearing brackets 8l secured to the'casing in a known manner. A crank handle 92 is secured to the other end of shaft 88 for imparting rotation thereto and thus rotating shaft i3. This provides means for rotating frame 23a, and the basket mounted therein, in any position of this frame within the casing.

arms 84 which is disposed within tank 1b is pro-` vided with slots or perfor ations 85, arms 84 being closed at the ends thereof within tank 1b. A

gooseneck 86 connects the mid-point of the bight -portion of pipe frame 83 to the top of a boiler 'or still 8 1 disposed at one side of casing lc. This still is enclosed by a suitable housing 98 and is provided with a concaved bottom wall 89 beneath which is disposed suitable heating means, such as a gas burner 90 of known type, within the lower portion of the housing. A str ip 9| is suitably supported in spaced relation to the upper portion of plate 1c and deines therewith an overflowcpening from tank 1a to tank 1l?. An overflow pipe 92, provided with a suitable control A valve 93 of known type, opens into tank 1a below A plate 12, in the form of a segment of a cylinthe upper edge of platelc. This pipe is connected, at its other end, to a drain pipe 95, provide'd with a suitable control valve 96 of known type, this drain pipe opening'intothe still through the bottom wall 89 thereof.

After the basket 65,' containing the articles to be cleaned, has been suitably secured in frame 23a, and the cover members 58 have been closed,

The plate '|2'is,

shaft Il is turned so as to .move'the basket into 'the dotted line position of Figure 3 thus immersing the articles in the liquid solvent within tank 1a. The basket may be rotated, in this position, to facilitate cleaning of the articles. The basket may then be positioned within the tank 1b, by

turning shaft il in the opposite direction, and

again rotated with the articles immersed in the liquid of tank 1b, thus thoroughly rinsing the articles'and removing therefrom any particles of grease or other foreign materials which may not have been removed by the rst treatment in tank 1a. After the articles have been thoroughly rinsed, the shaft Ii is turned into position to dispose the basket in its uppermost position, after which the articles are dried and the basket is removed and replaced by a second basket containing articles to be cleaned, in the manner previously described.'

The liquid solvent in tank 1a is heated by the hot vapors passing through the arms `84 of the pipe frame 83, and the liquid solvent within tank 1b is heated by the hot solvent vapors projected thereinto through the slits 85. ,These hot vapors are condensed by the liquid in tank 1b and thus serve continuously to supply pure solvent liquid to this tank, while also heating the liquid in both tanks in the manner stated. The excess liquid supplied to tank lb -overflows into the tank 'la so as to replenish the supply of liquid therein, and the excess liquid from tank 1a is returned to the still where it is distilled, the pure solvent vapors being delivered to tank 1b, as previously described. The drain pipe 95 provides convenient means for draining off, as required, grease and other impurities which, if permitted to collect in considerable quantity within the still, might result in overheating and decomposition of the liquid solvent. Grease and other foreign materials which collect in the lower portions of the tanks 1a and lb are removed by means of the collecting traysv 'le previously referred to.

As above indicatedand as will be understood by those skilled in this art, changes in construction and arrangement of parts of the invention may be resortedto without departing from the field and scope of the same, and we intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application, in which the preferred forms only of our invention are disclosed.

What we claim is: 1. .In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing a solvent, a rotatably mounted main shaft extending into the casing from one side thereof, a rotatably mounted sup-v plemental shaft extending into the casing from the opposite side thereof and telescoping the main shaft, said shafts being coaxial and independently rotatable, arms rigid with the main shaft, article receiving and supporting means rotatably mounted on said arms for turning movement on an axis parallel with the axis of said shafts, and driving connections between said supplemental shaft and said receiving and supporting means.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing a solvent, a rotatably mounted main shaft extending into the casing from one side thereof, a' rotatably mounted supplemental shaft extending into thefcasing from the opposite side thereof and telescoping the main shaft, said shafts being coaxial and independently rotatable, arms rigid with the main shaft, a frame rotatably mounted on said arms for turning movement onan axis parallel with the axis of said shafts, sprocket wheels of equal diameter secured to the supplemental shaft and the frame respecfively, and a sprocket chain passing about said Wheels. v

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing a solvent, two coaxial shafts extending intothe casing and mounted for independent rotation, one of said shafts normally being held against rotation and the other shaft being rotatable ir either direction, arms within said casing and rigid with said other shaft,

ya frame mounted on said arms for turning movement on an axis parallel tothe axis of said shafts, a sprocket wheel secured to said frame coaxially with the axis of turining thereof, a sprocket wheel secured on said one-shaft vand of the same diameter as the sprocket wheel secured to said frame, and a sprocket chain passed about said sprocket wheels.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing a solvent, two coaxial shafts extending into the casing and mounted for independent rotation, 1 one of said shafts normally being held against rotation and the other shaft'being rotatable in either direction, arms within said casing and rigid with said other shaft, a framemounted on said arms for turning movement on an axis parallel to the axis of said shafts, a wheel secured to said frame coaxially with the axis of turning thereof, a wheel secured on said one shaft and of the same dametea as the wheel secured to said frame, and a flexible member passed about said wheels and establishing driving connection therebetween.

frame mounted on said arms for turning movel ment on an axis parallel with the axis of said shafts, and driving connections between said.

frame and the supplemental shaft.

6. In an apparatusof the character described, a casing for containing a solvent, one shaft, another shaft, said shafts being coaxial and extending into said casing and being independently rotatable, arms within said casing and rigid with. said other shaft, aframe rotatably mounted on said arms, and driving connections between said frame and said one shaft. A

7. In an apparatus of the character described. a casing for containing a solvent. a horizontal shaft mounted in the casing for rotation in either direction about a fixed axis, arms within the casing rigid with said shaft, a frame mounted on said arms for turning movement about an axis -parallel to said shaft, means actuated by rotation of said shaft forv turning said frame oppo- 8. Inan apparatus of the character described, a casing'for containing a solvent, a horizontal shaft extending into the casing and mounted for rotation in either direction, arms within the casing and rigid with said shaft, a frame mounted on said arms for turning movement on an axis parallel to the axisv of said shaft, and positively acting means actuated by rotation of said shaft for turning said frame oppositely to and to the same extent as said shaft in the rotation of the .latter in either direction for lowering and raising said frame thereby maintaining unvaried the angular relation of said frame to said shaft, with respect to rotation, during raising and lowering of said frame. f

GEORG EDHOFER. AGEORG WOLFF. 

